Kirstin Fuller’s peers are never far from her mind — whether she’s helping them navigate day-to-day employment questions and workplace concerns as assistant director of human resources or building community between them as co-chair of Staff Council.
This marks her third year on Staff Council, a group that brings together non-exempt and exempt employees from all College divisions. “I took on a leadership role because I felt it was a good opportunity to step up, support the group in a different way, and help make Staff Council a place where staff feel connected and heard,” she said.
Besides Gambier, where is your favorite place in the world to be?
I’d say anywhere, as long as I’m with my husband, Marty (director of athletics communications at Kenyon), and our daughters, Camille and Gabrielle. Every summer, we pick somewhere new to visit, even if it’s just for a long weekend. We love exploring new cities and making new memories together.
Why did you come to Kenyon?
My husband started working at Kenyon in January 2001. While attending the Kenyon Athletics Hall of Fame event with him, the athletics director at the time offered me a data entry job. I was working somewhere I really enjoyed, but there were no benefits, and since we knew we wanted to start a family, I decided to take the job. Twenty-five years later, I don’t regret that decision one bit. I’ve grown professionally during my time at Kenyon, and I’ll always be grateful for the opportunities Kenyon has given me.
Fill in the blank: My experience at Kenyon would not be the same without ______.
My HR team is one of my favorite parts of working at Kenyon. I’m lucky to work with a group of women who support each other and make work enjoyable. They’ve become more than just co-workers, they’re also some of my closest friends.
What is your favorite Kenyon tradition?
The Years of Service event that we have each year in May. I love celebrating those five-year milestones with our staff and recognizing them for all of their contributions made to the Kenyon community.
What Kenyon class would you love to take — again or for the first time?
Probably a drama class. My daughter is very involved in theater and I joke with her that someday I am going to audition for a show with her, so maybe this would help me out with that audition!
If there was a soundtrack to your Kenyon experience, what song would be on repeat?
“For Good” from “Wicked.” I think it fits my Kenyon experience because of all the people I’ve met and the relationships I’ve made over the years. I’ve grown a lot professionally, but I’ve also grown as a person, and I know the people I’ve met at Kenyon have played a big part in that.
Where do you find satisfaction outside of your work?
I absolutely love thrifting! I love spending hours in a thrift store looking for things I didn’t know I needed! One of my favorite things is getting a compliment on something I’m wearing and then getting to tell them how much I paid for it. There’s just something satisfying about finding a great bargain.
What is something interesting that you have read recently?
I can’t think of one particular book, but I love reading psychological thrillers. Especially Freida McFadden — I’m trying to read all of her books. They’re so hard to put down, though, which is probably why I don’t read as much as I’d like. I know once I get into a good book, I don't want to do anything else until I finish it.
What new skill would you like to learn?
I would love to learn how to embroider and upcycle clothing. It would be fun to take some of my thrift finds and turn them into something new or give them a little personality of my own. I’ve always thought it would be fun to be able to see something in a thrift store and think about what I could do with it instead of just wearing it as I found it. I just need to brush up on my sewing skills — it’s been a while!
What is the best piece of advice that you've ever been given?
I would say the Golden Rule: “Treat people the way you want to be treated.” The other would be “pick your battles.” Both are things my parents always instilled in us growing up, and I’ve found myself coming back to both throughout my life and especially in my work in HR. “Pick your battles” definitely came in handy when I was raising my daughters!
The Kenyon Ten is an occasional question-and-answer feature that highlights students, faculty and staff.